Cosmedent's CosmeCore is a dual-cure, automix resin core material that cuts like dentin and is designed to supply high strength in core build-ups at the same appointment it is placed.

Sold in 3 types of cartridges, including blue, white, and A2, CosmeCore is radiopaque, which helps distinguish the product from tooth structure in radiographs to a depth of more than 7 mm. According to the manufacturer, the product is available in economical 50-gm cartridges and 1 core build-up pays for the entire tube.

The 12 dentists who participated in the Dental Product Shopper evaluation of CosmeCore commented on a range of features, including ease of use, handling, immediate hardness and cuttability.

Ease of Use

All 12 evaluators ranked ease of use as either 'very important' or 'important' when purchasing an injection comfort system.

Cosmedent describes CosmeCore as 'easy to use with exceptional handling,' and the evaluating team agreed, with 4 evaluators ranking the product's ease of use as excellent and 7 ranking it as very good. One evaluator noted the product's ease of use was good. One evaluator from Flushing, NY reported that CosmeCore is 'very easy to use, with no waiting period.' Another evaluator, from New Windsor, NY, noted the product 'cures easy and is easy to stack.'

Handling

All of the evaluators agreed that handling was either 'very important' or 'important' when buying an injection comfort system. Four evaluators described CosmeCore's handling as excellent, and 8 evaluators described the product's handling as very good or good.

A Houston dentist who participated in the evaluation said, 'The overall handling and consistency of the material was fantastic.' A Salt Lake City, UT evaluator noted the product's 'easy handling and great delivery system.'

An evaluator from Weston, MA noted that he would suggest including 'the bonding system to prevent incompatibility with other bonding products.'

Some evaluators had confl icting opinions on the amount of material that was left in the tip, with 3 evaluators noting there was some wasted material, and another reporting that, 'There does not appear to be much waste in the mixing tip.'

Immediate Hardness

According to the manufacturer, following polymerization, the cured material hardens with 'strength characteristics similar to dentin.' Five evaluators rated CosmeCore's immediate hardness as excellent, 5 rated the product's immediate hardness as very good, and 2 evaluators rated the product's immediate hardness as good.

A dentist with 14 years experience described the product's immediate hardness as excellent, adding, 'It bonded very well to the existing tooth structure.' An evaluator with 8 years of experience ranked the CosmeCore's immediate hardness as 'very good,' adding, 'I like the dual cure properties of it and it seems to be a stronger material [than other] glass ionomers.'

Cuttability

Company materials describe CosmeCore as designed to 'cut cleanly.' Five evaluators ranked CosmeCore's cuttability as excellent, and 7 ranked it as very good or good. An evaluator with 14 years experience said the product, 'cut very well...almost exactly like natural tooth structure.' An evaluator from Jersey City, NJ noted that CosmeCore 'cuts similar to the surrounding tooth structure.'

Overall Satisfaction

Ten evaluators said they would defi nitely or probably recommend CosmeCore to colleagues and 9 evaluators said they would defi nitely or probably purchase CosmeCore.

Overall satisfaction with the product was rated as excellent by 4 evaluators, very good by 6 evaluators, and good by 2 evaluators. An evaluator with 29 years of experience in dentistry summarized his experience with CosmeCore by writing: 'I was impressed with the product. I can't think of anything I would change.' Another evaluator with 4 years of experience said that his experience with Cosmedent was very favorable, adding, 'Additional materials shipped very fast from the company. [I received] excellent customer service.'